The golf world was divided for over a year. Now there is an agreement. The PGA and the Saudi Arabia-funded LIV Tour are now working together.
The dispute between the major golf organizations PGA Tour and DP World Tour and the LIV Tour, financed from Saudi Arabia, has surprisingly been settled.
The parties announced in a joint press release that “groundbreaking agreement to unify golf” to have met and to work together in the future. Accordingly, a Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund (PIF), which was previously involved in the LIV Tour, is now also a shareholder in a new joint organization.
“After two years of unrest and confusion, this is a historic day for the game we all know and love”said PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan. “This will usher in a new era in global golf – for the better.”
LIV tournaments have faced criticism since debut
With the agreement to work together in the future, all pending legal disputes between the parties involved were ended by mutual agreement. In addition, after the 2023 season, opportunities should be created for players to return from the LIV Tour to the PGA Tour or the DP World Tour.
The LIV tournaments have been criticized since their debut in June 2022 because of the millions invested from Saudi Arabia. The background is that the country, which has been criticized for human rights violations, is trying to improve its image with lucrative sporting events. Numerous top golfers followed the call of money and switched to the competing series – including the German Martin Kaymer.
Now the Saudi state fund PIF (Public Investment Fund) is part of a new company that is supposed to bundle the tours’ business. A name for the new organization, which also aims to further promote the team format introduced by the LIV Tour, is yet to be announced.